NDP gets cash for accessibility work not done

TERRY DAVIDSON, QMI Agency

First posted:
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 12:45 AM EDT

There are piles of money in the form of a federal grant and union donations to make the Ontario NDP headquarters at 101 Richmond St. E., accessible to people with disabilities — but so far, nothing. (Alex Urosevic, QMI Agency)

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TORONTO - When the Ontario NDP moved into its new Toronto headquarters in 2007, the four-storey structure with its wide stone stairway leading to the first floor was inaccessible to people with physical disabilities.

They created a private corporation with union partners -- the Ontario Cornerstone Leadership Corp. (OCLC) -- to buy the $2.9 million downtown property at 101 Richmond St. E.

Since then, the OCLC received more than $100,000 in grants from the federal government to retrofit bathrooms and install an electric wheelchair lift in the front of the building.

And it appears the corporation raised an additional $100,000 for the work from the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU).

The only problem -- the total cost of the project barely tops $100,000 and no work has begun on the electric wheelchair lift funded by the federal government.

When QMI Agency asked to speak with party leader Andrea Horwath to discuss the project and the grants, NDP spokesman Alex Callahan said an interview would be difficult, given the leader's "busy" election campaign schedule.

According to federal documents obtained by QMI Agency, the OCLC applied in September 2010 to Human Resources and Social Development Canada for grants under the department's Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF).

In its EAF application, the OCLC justified the outlay of federal funds, citing Ontario Human Rights Code protections on accessibility and the fact the property, which houses a retail space, union office and party headquarters, served as "hives of activity" for people from across the city.

"Both unions and political parties need to be establishing policies that open doors to people with disabilities," the OCLC wrote in its application.

Ottawa approved both projects in February 2011 and sent cheques to the OCLC -- $75,000 for the wheelchair lift and $25,450 for the washroom makeover, $100,450 in total. The cost of the wheelchair lift was estimated at $92,137 in the application and the bathroom reno at $25,425.

While the washroom work has been completed, no construction has begun on the wheelchair lift.

In fact, there's no record at City Hall showing the OCLC has even applied for a building permit.

This despite an apparent deadline on the NDP's application -- of June 30, 2011 -- for the work to be completed.

Diane O'Reggio, an OCLC board member and former Ontario NDP provincial secretary, is one of two party officials who signed the application for federal money.

O'Reggio said one washroom in the building has been retrofitted with features such as handrails and an automatic door.

But she confirmed a building permit for the big jobs have not yet been sought, blaming the hold up on municipal red tape around standards and regulations.

"We have our contractors and engineers working on that, and they've been back and forth with the city," O'Reggio said.

Meanwhile, before the NDP received federal cash for the wheelchair lift, the party appears to have raised funds privately from party members and union supporters in 2008 -- at least $100,000.

Minutes from a Dec. 10-11, 2008, meeting of OPSEU's executive show the union approved a "contribution of $100,000" for "major renovations" to make the building accessible – two years and three months before the OCLC applied for federal money.

"Both the front entrance and a special washroom will be at the top of the list," the OPSEU minutes state.

Callahan, the Ontario NDP spokesman, insisted the NDP received no such money and that there is no such fund. But Callahan did say the party had set aside $20,000 for the building's accessibility retrofit and that the money will be spent when the projects get underway.

O'Reggio also acknowledged shareholders of the OCLC – which includes the Ontario NDP and various unions -- have donated money for the building's retrofit.

But she refused to specify how much has been given.

"If shareholders wanted to give money and designate it for (a special project), they can if they want to," O'Reggio said.

"I'm not at liberty to give out financial information," she said. OPSEU was repeatedly contacted by QMI Agency to clarify their support for the reno project but failed to respond.

Finally, OCLC officials declined to comment on their mortgage arrangements for the building

After the OCLC bought 101 Richmond in June 2007, the corporation took out a mortgage of nearly $2.2 million. Three months later, the OCLC registered a second mortgage for $3.4 million.

O'Reggio wouldn't comment on the purpose for the second mortgage, or what was done with the money -- again, citing shareholder's privacy. When asked if the money had been used to help finance Ontario NDP campaign expenses, O'Reggio denied it had, and said the OCLC has nothing to do with the party's expenses.